About Me

In March 2009 I was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy - Heart Failure. Within two months, it progressed to end-stage. In August 2009 I had a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) implanted to help my heart pump blood. Then in December I was placed on the heart transplant list. On January 11, 2010 a heart became available for me and I was taken to the operating room. While on the table, the surgeons found that my own heart had began to heal. I didn't get that transplant and subsequently had my LVAD removed in September 2010. Today, I have a new appreciation for life and am learning to take each day one step at a time.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LULU!!

My little sister has become one of my absolute best friends. There are so many things that I admire about her, that if I would tell of them, this would be a crazy long blog. However, I think some times my little sister thinks because she is the baby of the family, that we all view her as naive, irresponsible, and immature; but I think nothing could be farther from the truth for me. She has impressed me with her career (last summer she took an entire group of high school students to Costa Rica - she organized and led the entire trip - and no one died! BTW, Who does that?) She sings on her praise team at church, she cares so much for her friends and family, and she puts up with two crazy cats. She is incredibly talented. This year she decided she wanted to be a photographer. Now most of us get these crazy ideas but hardly ever to we bring them to fruition. But not her, she put her mind to it, gathered up the equipment, booked some jobs, and became a photographer.

And all of that pales in comparison to the encouragement she has brought me through my entire ordeal. Towards the beginning when I was having trouble sleeping at night, she stayed with me a few nights to give Ray a rest. She sat up at night with me when I couldn't sleep and talked and cried with me. She held my hair for me when I got sick. And she sat quietly by me through some of my toughest days when I was too tired to talk. You can never thank someone for the love they give you in your darkest times, you just have to trust that they know your heart. Little sis, I am so very blessed to have you in my life!

No comments:

Post a Comment